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Place de la Bastille, Paris

2.0
#13 of 54 in Neighborhoods in Paris
Neighborhood Historic Site
Straddling three arrondissements of Paris, Place de la Bastille marks the site of the former Bastille prison, once a symbol of royal authority in the city. On July 14, 1789, a group of roughly 1,000 Frenchmen fed up with abuses under the monarchy stormed the medieval fortress, spurring the beginning of the French Revolution. This day is commemorated each year in Paris and the rest of France as Bastille Day. Today, the busy square bears no lasting vestige of the building, but it remains a popular site of political demonstration and protest. To see where the prison's foundations once stood, follow a row of paving stones three across between boulevard Henri IV and rue St-Antoine. If you reach the important tourist destination by metro, pay attention to the markings on the platform of Line 5, which also trace the building's former foundations. Make Place de la Bastille part of your personalized Paris itinerary using our Paris itinerary planner.
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1,267 reviews
TripAdvisor
  • August 14, 2017
    A monument with swirling traffic, nevertheless it is the site of the notorious prison which was part to the French Revolution.Worth a glance.  more »
  • August 14, 2017
    A piece of history and continues to be the center of life in this area of Paris. Visitors from all over the world rest their sore feet by sitting on the base of this monument and watch passerbys. The ...  more »
  • August 14, 2017
    There are many cheap hotels in the area, and this has the metro here that goes in the heart of the city. Plenty of Cafe's nearby. Also Bastille Market is available Thursday and Sunday  more »
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Each of the city’s 20 arrondissements, or districts, has a personality all its own. If you prefer high-end accommodations and to be in the middle of the action, look for lodging in the 1st through the 4th arrondissements. For more affordable lodging and access to major metro lines, try the 12th. The Oberkampf area of the 11th arrondissement has an edgier, more hip vibe. For easy access to tourist sites,  the 16th is within a stone’s throw of the Arc de Triomph and the Eiffel Tower, and the 17th is within walking distance to the Champs-Elysées. Avoid the 18th, 19th, and 20th, because these can be dangerous, especially if you’re not familiar with the city.
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